An Angus man described by police as a key figure in local organised crime has been jailed for his part in a £50,000 heroin trafficking operation.
Christopher McIntosh, from Forfar, was sentenced to five years and three months at the High Court in Glasgow after a broken cigarette in the shape of an arrow had pointed detectives targeting the dealer through a specially-mounted operation towards the half-kilo stash of the Class A drug in an Angus ditch.
The heroin had been brought from England for distribution by 28-year-old McIntosh and his gang, which included the father of a young addict found dead in an Arbroath street from a suspected overdose three weeks ago.
Alistair Carrie (49), of Brechin, appeared alongside McIntosh before Lord Matthew for sentence on Wednesday, just two days after the body of his 27-year-old son, Stuart, had been laid to rest one of the latest Angus victims of the deadly scourge.
On September 29, Mr Carrie jun, along with friend and fellow addict Ishbel McGregor fell victim to what is understood to have been a batch of super-strength heroin, suffering suspected overdoses after taking the drug in the Mayfield area of Arbroath.
Mr Carrie’s body was found on wasteland behind local shops, while Miss McGregor was discovered unconscious nearby and survived the ordeal.
The incident shocked Arbroath and the wider Angus community, and on Wednesday the man who headed the operation to snare McIntosh and his cohorts in March this year said he hoped the sentence would send out a strong message and steer people away from the “vile” drugs trade.
McIntosh, of Viewmount, Forfar, and Carrie sen, who lived at Cattleman’s Cottage, Leightonhill Farm, Brechin, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin on March 5.
A third co-accused, Gary Brown (36), of Lordburn Place in Forfar, had also earlier pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin after a police raid on a house in Brechin on December 23 caught him with four grammes of the drug.
The court had previously been given details of Operation Invincible, mounted in an effort to help stem the flow of drugs being brought into rural Angus by criminals like McIntosh.
Sentencing the trio, Judge Lord Matthews told the court McIntosh was in a different category to the other accused because of a previous High Court conviction for drug dealing.
Lord Matthews jailed McIntosh for five years and three months, discounted from seven years and backdated to March 8.
Carrie was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, discounted from 20 months and backdated to March 8, and Brown received nine months in custody, discounted from 12 months and backdated to August 17.
Detective Inspector Stuart Holmes, the man in charge of Tayside Police’s drugs and surveillance branch told The Courier, “Tayside Police welcomes the sentences handed out by the court today.
“I hope that today’s court decision serves as a warning to others and provides reassurance to local communities which we strive to make safer, stronger and healthier places for people to live and work in.”
He added, “If anyone has any information about drug dealing or suspected drug dealing in their community I would urge them to get in touch with us it’s only by working together that we can reduce supply, and in turn help to reduce demand and reduce harm.”Anyone who has information on drug dealing should get in touch with Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222 or speak to any police officer. Information can also be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.